Audio recordings to be used as evidence in Simpson trial

Both sides expect to find something useful in the tapes of the event.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — O.J. Simpson’s Las Vegas robbery-kidnapping trial has resumed after the first prosecution witness became ill on the stand.

Bruce Fromong, 54, from North Las Vegas, had been on the witness stand for several hours Monday before he pointed to his chest and indicated he didn’t feel well. The sports memorabilia dealer is one of the alleged victims in the case.

He has said he has previous heart attacks. Paramedics examined Fromong at the courthouse but did not take him to a hospital. His attorney, Louis Schneider, says Fromong could resume testifying today.

A prosecutor told jurors Monday they will learn “the true face” of Simpson during the former football star’s trial on charges of robbing sports memorabilia dealers in a Las Vegas hotel room.

Prosecutor Chris Owens began his opening statement by playing an audio recording of the confrontation and pointed out one voice barking commands: “Don’t let nobody outta here ... stand the [expletive] up before it gets ugly in here.”

“The audio will show threats, it will show force, it will show demands and it will show the taking of property from the victims in this case,” Owens said.

In his opening statement, defense attorney Yale Galanter asserted that the evidence will not show that Simpson intended to commit a crime, but rather that he simply wanted to recover stolen personal effects, including pictures of his deceased parents, and not sports memorabilia.

“You can think what you want about his past, and you all as jurors have agreed to ignore that ... what you’re going to hear in this courtroom is not a case about hiding anything from anybody. It’s a case about recovering personal items,” Galanter said.

Simpson, 61, and co-defendant Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, 54, a former golfing buddy from North Las Vegas, have pleaded not guilty to 12 charges including kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy.

Each could face life in prison with the possibility of parole if convicted of kidnapping, and mandatory prison time if convicted of armed robbery.

Clark County District Attorney David Roger has said the case against the two men will rely on testimony from some 25 witnesses, including four former co-defendants who have taken plea deals and agreed to testify for the prosecution.

Stewart’s attorney, Robert Lucherini, characterized his client as a successful mortgage broker who used his relationship with Simpson for networking, and on the day of the incident had simply been asked by Simpson for help in picking up his property.

Fromong testified at a hearing in November that he expected to meet with an anonymous buyer when Simpson arrived with others “in a military invasion fashion.”

The prosecution audio recordings were surreptitiously made by Thomas Riccio, a Los Angeles collectibles trader who arranged the Sept. 13, 2007, meeting between Simpson, Fromong and sports memorabilia dealer Alfred Beardsley.

Galanter said the recordings could also help the defense, asserting that at one point, Simpson says nothing should be taken that isn’t his.